Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 738

Gaming Helps Create a "Cool City"

Casino gaming has become increasingly fashionable. More and more, television programs have a central focus on casinos and those who work in and visit them. Las Vegas has become the entertainment center for the stars with tabloid publications frequently detailing their exploits on the town...read more

Three Card Poker Revisited

Derek J. Webb, a professional poker play from England, invented a casino table game called Three Card Poker about five years ago. The game was a smash hit when it was originally introduced in casinos in Mississippi. From there it spread to Las Vegas and soon thereafter gaming jurisdictions around the country, including Illinois. It has become a staple of table game inventories at casinos in the Chicago area, including Northwest Indiana, and appears to be one poker "hybrid" that'll be around for a long time...read more

Grochowski Goes to Downtown Vegas

In the wake of a couple of recent mentions of Las Vegas' better gambling options being away from the Strip, a couple of readers e-mailed to ask if I practice what I preach. "Come on," one said, "do you actually stay and play downtown?" Timing is everything, because I'm just back from Las Vegas, where I spent four nights downtown at the California...read more

The man with the Midas touch

Dear Mark, I saw your column today and you asked if anyone in Reno remembers the person who hit the three royals at a Raley's market some time back. I do live in Reno and remember the story published in the Reno Gazette Journal. The man hit one royal and while he was waiting for the payoff, moved to another machine where he hit another royal, he then moved to a third machine and hit another...read more

Does When the Dealer Deals the Hole Card Affect Blackjack Strategy?

Dear Frank, I recently played blackjack in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. In both casinos, the dealer dealt himself (or herself) one card face up. The dealer then did not take a second card until all players had played their hands. Normally I would think that this would not affect Basic Strategy...read more

There Are Times to Split 10s at Blackjack, but They're Rare

Anyone who's ever received advice, sought or otherwise, about blackjack is familiar with the edict, "never split 10s." And most have at least wondered why it should be so. Sure, a total of 20 is a strong pat hand. But a 10 is also a powerful starting point, strong enough for a double against anything other than 10 or ace...read more

When Shouldn't You Double Down with a Proper Doubling Hand?

In blackjack, about once every eleven hands you'll be dealt something that's normally a proper double down. Yet, from time to time for various reasons we all get an ominous feeling that says, "This time, don't do it!" The impulse may come from the fact that we've just lost a tough hand -- or perhaps we have an unusually large bet up and don't feel comfortable risking twice that amount all at one time...read more

Casinos Coming to Asia

The explosion of legal gaming that is sweeping the world has finally reached Asia. Most Asian nations have had some form of legal gambling for decades, usually lotteries and racetracks. Some are quite successful. Japan has one of the world's largest lotteries, and nothing comes near the Hong Kong Jockey Club when it comes to bets on horse races. Illegal and gray market gambling have also always been big...read more

Dice Control and Betting Strategies Go Hand-in-Hand

I received an email from JC, a student who had attended the Golden Touch Connecticut seminar, wanting to know what betting levels he should employ with a 401G of $2000 (A 401G is a bank account that is used strictly for gambling!) and what his session stake should be...read more

Three Sports-Related Books to Read for Pure Recreation

Every once in awhile, in between heavy bouts of betting, handicapping, shopping for prices and attempting to middle everything that moves, a bettor should a) take a nap b)read something that makes him more knowledgeable or insightful. With the latter in mind, here are three recently published books that are interesting, insightful and informative. The three titles are The Dream Job (Sports, Publicity and Marketing) by Melvin Helitzer (450 pages, paperbound, $29.95); Out of Bounds (Inside the NBA's Culture of Rape, Violence & Crime) by Jeff Benedict (254 pages, hardbound, $24.95) and Bloody Sundays (Inside The Dazzling, Rough-And-Tumble World of the NFL) by Mike Freeman (298 pages, hardbound, $24.95). The Dream Job is designed for college and pro sports management professionals, publicists, promotion managers with corporations, sports writers with national media, sports agents, attorneys and business managers...read more